


Isn't it Romantic

by Springmagpies



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Romantic Comedy, earth vs space, globetrotting event, holiday au, holiday tropes, team earth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2019-12-28
Packaged: 2021-02-25 20:55:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,031
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21931819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Springmagpies/pseuds/Springmagpies
Summary: Jemma has just moved to New York to live the whole big city experience. However, when she finds that it isn’t quite what she expected she worries if she’s made the right choice for her new beginnings, her holiday homesickness doing nothing to ease her fears. When she meets her new neighbor, however, she thinks she might just have found someone to join her on her next great adventure. Will a miscommunication lead her away from love and her big city dreams or will she find all she desired and more during a Christmas in New York?
Relationships: Leo Fitz/Jemma Simmons
Comments: 33
Kudos: 46





	1. Chapter 1

The excitement that had bloomed in Jemma’s chest after having landed at JFK Airport had been in no way diminished by the incredibly long taxi ride into the city and to her new apartment on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. She was exhausted with jet lag hitting her hard and she knew she was going to a tiny apartment with no furniture and no food but the joy of new beginnings and adventure was coursing through her veins.

Thanking and paying the cabbie, Jemma stepped onto the curb and took a deep breath. It was cold enough that she could see her exhale clear as day in the cold December air. The world smelled like gasoline and roasting chestnuts coated in cinnamon and sugar and there was a never-ending buzz of life sounding around her. For the first time in a long time, Jemma let herself soak in her surroundings, grounding herself by holding tightly to the handle of her large suitcase. 

She was home.

* * *

She had been in the city for a week when she started to feel homesick. On her way home to her cold apartment, the heating needed fixing, the subway train had been behind schedule, she had nearly been hit by a cabbie as she crossed the street resulting in her becoming flustered and forgetting which street she was on before she finally managed to get back to her building. Her legs burned as she trudged up the very long, winding staircase to her apartment and she felt her chest and throat tighten, her eyes refusing to let tears fall. 

Jemma Simmons was not a quitter and she would figure this out.

“I’m not a quitter. I can do this,” she said to herself as she made her way up the stairs, her feet aching in her boots and her brain tired and fuzzy. Despite it all, she was going to be alright. This was her home after all… right? Her lip began to tremble as her mind drifted to wet winter snowfall back in Sheffield and the bakery she went to with her parents for hot chocolate and gingerbread. She thought of annual puzzles and her father’s roast and Christmas movie marathons. She blinked back more tears. She could do this, this was home, but she missed Sheffield desperately. 

Trying to get her mind away from Sheffield and back in New York City, Jemma took the last step onto her floor’s landing before she collided with a very large and aromatic Christmas tree. 

“Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry,” came a voice somewhere on the other side of the many branches and needles. It was rich with a Scottish lilt of all things and Jemma was taken aback by the timbre as well as the tree.

“That’s alright. I should have been more aware of where I was going…” Her sentence trailed off as the man attached to the voice finally managed to detangle himself from behind the tree and appear before her, his hands still steadying the douglas fir. 

He was cute. He was very very cute; with sparkling blue eyes and sandy curls, and just the perfect amount of facial hair to bring out his jaw. He also had the sweetest blush along his cheeks and a winter-red nose. Forgetting to speak, or really think for that matter, Jemma jumped slightly to pull herself together. 

“I’m Jemma,” she finally managed to blurt out. “Jemma Simmons.”

The man smiled, “I’m Fitz. Well, Leo Fitz but only my mum calls me Leo. Okay, my mum and my friends when they’re pissed at me.”

His face somehow went a brighter red and Jemma let out a giggle-filled breath, tucking a snow-covered lock of hair behind her ear. “Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Fitz.”

“Yeah, pleasure to meet you as well. Umm, sorry I hit you with my Christmas tree.”

She laughed again. “I’m sorry I hit your tree with my clumsy self.”

The spirited look in his dazzling eyes and the blush dusting his cheeks cooked up something warm in her chest, something she hadn’t felt since the first few days of her new beginning.

“So, you must be the person who moved into Raina’s old place. 301 right?”

“Yes.”

“We’re neighbors then. I’m just across the hall in 302.”

A little fluttering like wings flew about in Jemma’s stomach. “Well, if I ever need a cup of sugar, you’ll be my first stop.”

The smile he gave her was like magic, his light laugh beating every jingle bell she had ever heard at filling her with joy. 

After a few more pleasant, smile-filled moments, they finally said their see you laters and goodnights. Giving him one more fleeting glance over her shoulder, Jemma turned back to her door and walked into her small little apartment. The first two days in New York had been spent getting furniture and trying to turn her little place into her little home, but the three days after that she had been too tired from work and too homesick to really give any life to it. However, after her encounter with her new neighbor she had remembered the excitement again. This was her new beginning, her new adventure. That night she started putting together her desk and her bed frame, in spite of being rather tired, and when she was done with those two tasks she finished by putting up the large box of Christmas lights she had splurged on her first day shopping.

Her little apartment glowed with life and she gently placed her pictures of home on her desk, touching the frames with gentle care. Laying down on her newly built sunbed, Jemma closed her eyes and smiled.

* * *

The next morning was a Saturday and Jemma jumped out of bed to start her morning yoga routine. Normally she would run on the treadmill but there wasn’t enough room in her new space for such a thing and she wasn’t sure what gym to go to yet. So, yoga it was. It was lovely outside, crisp and clear with fresh snow on the ground. The cars, pedestrians, and pollution had not yet gotten to it yet so it was still as crisp as a winter morning could be. 

Once she was done with her workout and fresh out of the shower, Jemma busied herself making tea, reading her book, and eating her breakfast (a warm bowl of oatmeal and a slice of wheat toast). She had a few things for work to take care of, all of which could be finished from inside her apartment, and she had to facetime her family at four in the afternoon. She was excited to talk to her parents but she was less excited when she found out that her ex-boyfriend, Milton, and his mum and dad were going to be on the call as well. But she understood it was a week before Christmas and that she had to be kind and pleasant to her family’s friends, even if Milton was a part of that.

Knowing she was going to talk to her ex-boyfriend in front of their parents and that she would have to pretend to play nice still didn’t put a damper on her mood. It was funny how meeting someone new and kind and handsome had put her in such good spirits. It wasn’t a magic fix or anything, she still missed home and she was still anxious about her new life in a big city, but it made her feel less alone. Somehow, surrounded by so many people, she had forgotten that she didn’t have to face the world by herself. She could make friends and she thought she could make them pretty damn well. She was a knockout of a friend, kind and caring and smart. So making friends with the man across the hall didn’t sound like as daunting of a task as moving to New York had been. And, if she got to know him better and found that she liked his personality as well, who's to say she couldn’t have a little romance as to go with said friendship. 

Bundled up and ready to go grab some groceries and cross something off her to-do list, Jemma walked out the door of her apartment, turning around so as to lock the door behind her. When she turned back to head down the stairs she saw a woman leaving apartment 301. Fitz’s apartment. 

“Oh, hi!” the woman greeted loudly and kindly. “You must be the new tenant in 302.” Jemma gave the woman a quick once over before saying anything. She was rather fashionable if not completely dressed for the weather. Jemma guessed she wasn’t exiting the apartment to go outside. She was wearing black jogger pants and an off the shoulder crop top sweater with a little emblem on the chest. Her dark hair was cropped to her shoulders, cascading from the roots in little waves that framed her naturally beautiful face. Bundled up in her many layers, Jemma suddenly felt a little insecure. She shook her head a little to clear that thought away.  _ Another person’s beauty does not diminish you own, Jemma,  _ she thought to herself before smiling at the woman in front of her. 

“Yes. I moved in a week ago.”

“I heard you had moved into Raina's old place. Your name is Jemma right?”

A small crease formed between Jemma’s eyebrows. “Yes, how did you know?”

“Fitz, you met him last night. He told me about meeting you,” the woman replied. She threw her thumb over her shoulder gesturing towards the door. Something like disappointment dropped into Jemma’s heart. Given the new information, Jemma assumed that the woman before her was living with Fitz. Without really weighing the evidence as much as she normally would have, she concluded quickly that the woman and Fitz were a couple.

Since Jemma hadn’t said anything for a few beats, the woman continued to talk. “I’m Daisy,” she said, introducing herself with an outstretched hand. Jemma took it and gave it a friendly shake. 

“Pleasure to meet you.”

Daisy gave her another bright look before her eyes were drawn to a cat who had leaped up onto the landing. “There you are you little furball,” Jemma’s neighbor cooed, picking up the cat gently by its middle. The cat, going placidly limp in Daisy’s hands, arched its back and allowed itself to be carried. 

Trying to remain friendly and not appear in any way disappointed that her cute neighbor had a girlfriend, Jemma asked kindly, “What’s its name?”

“Doc,” Daisy reported, her eyes crinkling at the corners with her pride as her lips pulled into a smile. “I found her at a shelter and just had to take her home. Had to clear it with Coulson downstairs and I had to do quite a bit of bartering and bargaining but I managed to convince him to let me keep her. Fitz was the real struggle as he’s more of a dog person but I know he secretly loves her. I mean, he did name her. He had a dog named Bashful when he was younger so I guess he wanted to stick to a theme.”

Jemma couldn’t help but grin a little at the story, her eyes going soft as she looked at the little ball of tawny fur in her neighbor’s arms. “She seems very sweet.”

“She’s a grumpy little thing sometimes but you couldn’t ask for a sweeter cat. Well, now that I’ve managed to locate the trouble maker, I should be getting back inside. It was really nice to meet you Jemma.”

Daisy turned back to her door and went inside the apartment, quietly chatting away with Doc as she did. This left Jemma alone on the landing. Still looking ahead at the door Daisy had just closed, Jemma heaved a deep breath into her lungs and let her eyes flutter shut for a moment. She was a little upset that she could no longer ask Fitz out but that didn’t mean they couldn’t all be friends. Even from the small amount of time she had to really speak to them, Jemma couldn’t help but like her new neighbors. They were kind and fun to talk to and their cat was adorable. They seemed just the people that would make very nice neighbors and friends. 

And they were. But Jemma didn’t know that yet.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas Eve and enjoy the chapter! 💕

The next day was the coldest it had been since Jemma had arrived. She had on three layers of clothing along with the fuzziest pair of socks she had in her wardrobe and had paired her mish-mash outfit with a hat. But, still, the chill permeated through her layers and onto her skin until she felt like a human ice cube.

Normally she found that her landlord, Mr. Coulson, was a very reasonable and helpful man but unfortunately he was out for the day. Jemma only found that out after escaping downstairs to check in his office just off the lobby, sliding up to the door to find a little taped note saying “Out for the day, be back soon!”

How could someone be out for the whole day and be back soon? Shrugging her coated shoulders at the note, Jemma marched back up the long flight of stairs, still bundled up and cold and fearing the chill that awaited her back in her apartment. She was just turning the handle on her door when she heard someone exit 302 behind her.

“Hello, Jemma,” came Fitz’s voice, her name sounding very pretty in his accent. She liked the way the “e” curled in his mouth and how he emphasized the “mm.” 

She jumped to face him, surprised by his sudden entrance. “Oh, hi!”

“Just come from outside?” he asked, nodding at her many layers of clothing. “I heard it was bloody freezing out today. Going to snow too.”

“Ah, no. I wish I had been outside. It’s probably warmer out there than in my place,” she laughed, wrapping her arms around herself. 

His brow furrowed and his head tilted to the side for a moment before he spoke again. “Is your heating not working?” he asked, putting down the garbage bag he was holding.

“Oh, yeah. It hasn’t been working for a bit. I was so busy trying to get the place together I forgot to ask Mr. Coulson for help and now he’s out and about doing something. It’s alright, though. I’ll just survive it until he gets back.”

Jemma gave a little shrug, pairing it with a tinkling laugh. To her surprise, Fitz had suddenly gone a little shy. His feet were scuffing on the hardwood and his hands had gone to his pockets before one came up to scratch behind his ear.

“You know, I could probably help you fix it,” he said nonchalantly, his finger moving from his ear to point at the door behind her. 

“Could you? Oh, Fitz, that would be wonderful. Thank you!”

“It’s not a problem. Let me just get this off to the chute and then I’ll be in to help.”

True to his word, Fitz arrived just five minutes later with a tool kit and a helpful heart. As he got to work repairing the system in Jemma’s room, the two of them began to talk. Basic things one talk about with someone new; where did you grow up, do you have any siblings, what do you do for a living. However, where such conversations normally felt to Jemma like hurdles one had to jump on the way to getting to know someone, with Fitz she was fascinated by every response. 

As interested as she was in getting to know more about him, he seemed just as interested in her, responding to each of her questions in kind. His questions were thoughtful and expansive, letting the conversation meander and twist back around. So enthralled with their topics of discussion, she barely noticed the time going by. It was very different than the static conversation she had to have the day before with Milton and his family. Talking to Fitz was… fun! Eventually, they were no longer passing get to know you questions back and forth but were talking about things they liked. And they found they liked very similar things. 

“Oh my goodness! Is that the time,” Jemma finally exclaimed after noticing the clock in passing. Fitz had been there for five hours without them even realizing. “I am so sorry I kept you for so long! You must have had so much to do and--”

“Jemma, it’s okay! I really wasn’t doing anything but wrapping presents so I promise this was more enjoyable. Besides, I finished the heating about an hour ago. Just didn’t want to quit the conversation.” 

Jemma’s heart lifted and she blushed merrily at his statement. “I had a great time talking with you Fitz. And thank you again for helping with the heating. It’s good to know that I won’t be coming back to an icebox after work anymore. If there’s any way I can repay you, just let me know.”

He waved off her suggestion. “It’s fine, Jemma. Really.”

“I just feel guilty sending you off without a thank you or repayment of some kind.”

He went a little shy again, looking back towards the door before turning to look at her. “Actually, I have a thousand presents to wrap and Daisy is absolutely awful at it. Do you mind lending a hand?” 

“Of course!” Jemma replied, “Lead the way.”

Giving her a grin, Fitz lead the way out and across the hall to his place, holding the door open for Jemma to enter. His apartment was a little bit larger than hers but not by much. Unlike hers, however, it felt very much lived in. Fitz had said that he had lived there for two years after all. 

It was warm and inviting, smelling like Christmas tree and snickerdoodles. There was a fresh-looking plate of cookies on the coffee table and a Vitruvian man poster hung up in a frame above the television. Blankets coated the couch, blueprints were strewn about (Fitz had mentioned he was an engineer), and coffee mugs sat where their owners had left them. There were also strokes of what Jemma assumed to be Daisy’s influence. There was a hula girl on the windowsill, workout things flung over chairs, and a coffee maker standing pride of place in the kitchen (again, Fitz had informed her he preferred tea).

The apartment also screamed comfy Christmas. The tree Fitz had been lugging when they first met stood merrily in the corner of the room, twinkling with fairy lights and gleaming with red and gold ornaments. There was garland about and Jemma noticed many of the cozy blankets were tartan or snowflake patterned. She was also amused to see a printed out picture of a fireplace stuck by the radiator. 

“I love what you’ve done with your place,” she remarked, her feet planted in the entrance. 

Fitz beamed proudly. “Thanks.”

Jemma unzipped her coat layer, thanking Fitz when he took the layer off her shoulders in a gentlemanly fashion. 

“Can I get you something to drink,” he asked as he hooked her coat on the rack next to the door, “Water, tea, juice?”

“A cup of tea would be lovely.”

“Cup of tea coming right up. Does peppermint sound alright?”

Jemma nodded with enthusiasm. “That sounds perfect. I’ve actually been craving that since I arrived in New York. Kept slipping my mind to buy any.”

He beamed and went to start on the tea, allowing Jemma to make her way into the living room. She had taken a few steps into the room when Doc came to stare curiously at the new visitor before she bumped her calf with her head. Grinning at the sweet little thing, Jemma bent down and scratched underneath the cat’s chin, giggling when she purred. 

Once Doc had pounced over to Fitz to wrap herself around his legs, Jemma naturally began to wander about the room, looking at the posters and even gently touching her finger to the hula dancer to make her move. Next to the hula dancer were a few framed photographs of what Jemma assumed were family pictures. 

There was a happy looking picture of a young Daisy and a man in a lab coat, leaning over a kitten. The man looked like he was explaining something to the young girl, his face close next to hers with a look of pride on his face. 

“That’s Daisy and her dad,” Fitz said, noticing the photograph Jemma was looking at. He handed her her cup of tea before going back to look at the picture. “He’s a veterinarian. Really cool guy. Terrifying at times but that’s just because he’s protective.”

Jemma nodded and smiled. “Understandable.” 

Turning back to the windowsill, Jemma continued to look at the other pictures that sat there. There was one of Fitz and Daisy at what appeared to be a graduation. Daisy had her arm in the air and the other around Fitz’s waist and she looked like she was cheering. Fitz was stood next to her with a look like he had just rolled his eyes but was happy to be where he was. 

Next to the graduation photo was one of a younger Fitz. He looked to be around six, ducking the side of his face into his mum’s chest, his mother smiling cheerfully at the camera as she held tightly to her son. 

Fitz pointed at the picture, his cheeks going just a little pink. “That’s my mum,” he said. His free hand went back into his pocket and he took a sip of his tea. 

“Do you miss being away from her? You said she still lives in Scotland, right?”

His head bobbed up and down in response. “Yeah. I was going to fly in for the holidays this year but it just didn’t happen. Been here for years and I still can’t help but miss home every now and again.”

“I know exactly what you mean.”

And she did. Jemma felt his statement hit her right in the heart. Once again, the feeling of isolation and loneliness lifted off her chest as she realized she wasn’t the only one who felt homesick. She just needed someone to remind her as such sometimes. 

“So,” Fitz broke in after a moment, “ready to wrap an ungodly amount of gifts?”

“Absolutely.”

After turning on some Christmas music and setting up their different stations, the two of them got to work quickly at wrapping the presents, making almost an assembly line of it. They wrapped the gifts together like clockwork, almost able to read one another’s minds with what should go where and what help the other needed. At one point, Fitz had been mid-conversation when he instinctively placed his finger on a ribbon so Jemma could tie it into a bow. The little gesture had made Jemma smile an obscene amount. As they worked, their hands occasionally overlapped as they handed off a gift or passed supplies back and forth, leaving Jemma to try and ignore the little swarm of butterflies that flapped around in her stomach every time she could feel Fitz’s warmth under her fingertips.

_ He has a girlfriend, Jemma. Cut it out and put it back in its box! _

“Are all of these your gifts?” Jemma inquired, trying to focus on anything other than Fitz and his handsome face and kind heart. She handed off another gift for Fitz to tie a bow on as he responded. 

“Nah, Daisy pooled hers in with mine. I told you, she’d bloody awful at wrapping. One time she used half the tape on one gift. She thought it was the funniest thing she’d ever done, too, especially after she spent ten minutes laughing hysterically at watching me try and unwrap the sodding thing.”

Jemma had to admit, it was an entertaining picture to imagine. However, she didn’t tell Fitz that. Instead, she continued on with her point. “So, she doesn’t mind you seeing the gift she got you?”

Fitz shook his head. “That one she wraps herself. It’s always in a gift bag, but, no, she’s adamant about me not seeing what she got me. She even hides it so I won’t be able to find it.”

As Fitz’s eyes focused back on the papered-over present, a crease formed between Jemma’s brows as she looked down at the object she was taping red wrapping onto. It was obviously for a man and it had come from the “Daisy gift pile.” It was a very nice looking watch with an engraving on the back.  _ To my spark, Love Daisy. _

Jemma looked down at the watch and back up to Fitz, her heart pounding in her chest. Jemma bit her lip nervously. There had to be a reasonable explanation for the watch. Perhaps Daisy had just hidden the gift in plain sight, right?

Shaking her head to clear away her worry, Jemma went back to wrapping gifts and talking with Fitz. The conversation was beyond pleasant and she once again lost track of time. However, every so often her mind would drift back to the watch, which was now wrapped up with a pretty bow. 

It was nearly ten o’clock and Fitz and Jemma had long finished wrapping the gifts when Daisy came back into the apartment. They were sitting on the couch, still continuing their conversation, when the sound of the door opening filled the room. 

“Fitz! I’m home!” Daisy called as the door shut with a clattering of high heels on flooring and a soft thud. After putting her coat away, she noticed Jemma. “Oh, hi! Didn’t know we had company. Good to see you, Jemma.” 

Daisy was grinning and there was something about her expression that Jemma couldn’t seem to read. Whatever it was caused Fitz to blush a bright pink, his blue eyes burning into Daisy’s. 

“Jemma offered to help me wrap the Christmas presents. Would still be wrapping them if she hadn’t.”

Jemma shrugged. “Least I could do after you saved me from living in a freezer.”

They passed shy smiles back and forth before Daisy interrupted by coming to kneel next to the pile of gifts. “They look great! They’re a thousand times better than what I could have done. Thank you, guys.”

Now that Daisy was back and Jemma noticed how late it was getting, she politely excused herself, saying she needed to go to bed soon. Fitz thanked her once more and she thanked him right back, feeling slightly guilty when she allowed herself to get lost in his eyes.

_ He has a girlfriend!  _ She told herself again.  _ Yeah, one who might be cheating on him. _

She could almost feel the little cartoon angel and devil versions of herself on her shoulders and she physically rubbed them away when she was back out in the hall.

She was quickly distracted from her thoughts, however, by the sound of feet rushing up the flight of stairs. Appearing around the banister, a man took the steps two at a time, his long legs making it easy, before he finally stood on the landing. Jemma ducked towards her door as the blonde-haired man rapped on the slab of wood just below the bronze numbers 302. 

He had a black purse strung over his shoulder and was bouncing on his feet as he waited for the door to swing open. His head looking left and right, he finally caught sight of Jemma and gave her a little wave and a half-smile before the door in front of him swung open.

Just around the man’s broad shoulders, Jemma saw as Daisy’s eyes widened in surprise before she tucked herself in front of the door, shutting it behind her. 

“Hey, what are you doing here?” Jemma heard her ask. She knew she should just go inside her apartment but her curious mind got the better of her. 

“You left your purse. I didn’t want you worrying about it,” the man replied. Jemma could hear his smile in his voice. 

“You’re too cute. Thank you.”

“Of course. I’ll see you tomorrow, right?

“Yep.”

“Sweet. Goodnight, Dais. Oh, and tell Fitz I said hi.”

Jemma could just see Daisy nod. “I will. Goodnight, Lincoln.”

The man, Lincoln, bent down and pressed his lips to Daisy’s. She returned the kiss before shooing him off with a lighthearted smack to his chest, only to have to pull him back to get her purse off his shoulder and send him off with another kiss. 

Lincoln disappeared back down the stairs, shooting Daisy a pleased smile as she leaned over the banister to watch him go. It was when Daisy turned to go back to her door that Jemma cleared her throat. 

“Umm, may I talk to you for a moment, Daisy?” Jemma asked. It felt like her throat was closing and so her voice went a little high pitched towards the end of the phrase.

“Oh hey, Jemma. Yeah, what’s up?” Daisy didn’t seem too bothered about getting caught cheating on Fitz. In fact, there were many things about the encounter that she had just witnessed that just didn’t seem to line up at all.

Jemma cleared her throat, her fingers digging into the coat she held draped over her arm. “I’m so sorry, I really don’t mean to pry but I just saw you talking to that man--”

“Oh, Lincoln,” Daisy piped up, her head tilting to gesture at the stairs.

Jemma nodded. Something about this conversation was already incredibly off. “Yes. I can’t help but notice how you interacted with him and I know you barely know me and I barely know you but--but I’ve already come to consider Fitz a friend and I--I don’t want to see him get hurt.” Jemma finished the last bit in a rush, not quite sure if she said what she wanted to. But the words were already off her tongue so there was so going back and she felt it was right to stand up for such a sweet and caring man.

Daisy looked at her questioningly, her eyes narrowed in confusion and her lips tugging out into a line. “Okaay. How would he be getting hurt, if I might ask?”

“Well, you just kissed that man but you’re dating Fitz.”

Daisy’s eyes went wide and there was a small beat before she erupted into a fit of giggles. Okay, something was definitely off. 

Jemma’s neighbor shook her head. “Fitz and I aren’t dating. We’re just roommates.”

“What?” Jemma responded, puzzled. Suddenly things were beginning to click into place and Jemma felt her cheeks heat up.

“Yeah, Fitz is like my favorite person in the world and I love him but we’re not together. Yeah, no, I’ve been dating Lincoln for six months now. Fitz was actually the one who introduced us!”

“Oh,” was the only thing Jemma managed to say before she felt like bursting into flames. “God, I’m so sorry. I just assumed. You’re so pretty and Fitz is so handsome and you’re living together and speak so highly of one another. Well, I look like a right idiot now don’t I?”

Daisy rushed over and put her hands kindly on Jemma’s crossed forearms. “Hey, it’s no biggie! Seriously, stuff like this happens all the time. Like one time I was convinced this really cute guy was into me and so I flirted with him and stuff. Turns out he was a total asshole who was just trying to gain information on the company I work for.”

Jemma couldn’t help but laugh. It was easy to laugh when talking to someone like Daisy. “Still,” she hiccuped, “I’m sorry.”

Daisy backed up and waved away the worry. “It’s alright. Bygones be bygones and all that jazz. But, it was really sweet how much you cared about Fitz’s well being. That earns a ton of points in my book.”

“He’s just a really wonderful person,” Jemma mumbled. She knew her cheeks were still keeping their lovely shade of embarrassed pink. 

She caught Daisy grin. “Yeah, he really is. And he thinks the same of you. Just so you know. See ya later, Jemma.”

With that, Daisy disappeared back into 302 and Jemma back into 301. Feeling suddenly a whole lot better, Jemma flopped down on her bed and stared at the ceiling. Fitz was single and thought she was a wonderful person. With that thought, Jemma fell asleep with a smile never leaving her face.


	3. Chapter 3

Over the course of the next week and a half, Jemma spent most of her time bouncing between 301 and 302. She felt rather like she was in one of those sitcoms where the friends no longer knock and end up just walking into one another’s apartments. However, it was mostly Daisy who tended to walk in without knocking, announcing herself with a flourish of the door and a “Jemma! Get your butt over here, we’re watching ___.” She always filled in the gap with whatever television show or film they were watching. It was like this pretty much every day of the week, Jemma getting home and nearly always going across the hall for dinner and a show.

Christmas Day, however, Jemma was left alone with Fitz. Daisy was out and about with her father while Fitz and Jemma were both stuck away from home for the holidays. Despite being so far from her family, Jemma couldn’t help but think that her first Christmas in New York might have been one of her favorites she’d ever had. They made hot chocolate, a special recipe Fitz had developed, watched all the Doctor Who Christmas specials they could, and ate biscuits that Jemma’s parents had sent as a part of their holiday care package. In Fitz’s warm and blanket filled apartment, Jemma could not stop the rush of affection she felt towards the man sitting next to her on the couch. She felt… happy. Happy and safe in a place that only a few days ago had felt cold and daunting. It was like the dream she had come to New York with had been returned to her and was slowly coming true.

Fitz had walked her home like he did every night. It was silly as it was only a few steps away, but they both couldn’t help it. They would always carry the conversation from one door to the next, Fitz always leaning on the banister and Jemma with her shoulder against the wall. Neither ever really wanted to say goodbye or goodnight and usually Daisy would, with reluctance in her voice, break it up by reminding them the time, her head poking out the door with an amused expression pulling up the corners of her mouth. 

It was a week and a half of blissful easy friendship. On the next Saturday after the Christmas holiday, Jemma called her parents for their weekly chat and she couldn’t stop the stream of words that fell from her lips the moment her parents asked how it had been. She gushed about her job and her friends and how much she was enjoying the city, going on for nearly twenty minutes just talking about the coffee shop Fitz had shown her and the little bookstore they had found hidden like a wonderful treasure in the middle of Manhattan. When she talked, her face lit up like fairy lights, her eyes twinkling and her cheeks rosy (she had just come back from a morning walk with Fitz before making the call).

“You seem to like this man quite a bit, darling,” her mother noticed, her voice like a finger as it pointed to the obvious. Jemma also didn’t miss the little look her mother gave her father out of the corner of her eye. 

“Yes,” Jemma responded, “I like him quite a lot. He’s been a wonderful help and comfort. Daisy as well, but I spend most of the time with Fitz.”

Her father cast a quick glance at his wife, in a very similar fashion to that of the one she had given him. “And where did you say he was from?”

“He’s Scottish, moved here for work. But, he goes back to visit his mum as much as he can. Oh! And he told me his grandmother lives in Perthshire! Isn’t that a funny coincidence. Just down the way a bit from where we stayed for that holiday a few years back.”

“That’s lovely my darling.”

There was something in her mother’s tone, something that said they had other things to talk about, which caused Jemma’s mind to shift to another topic. “Are you both still flying in for the New Year?” she asked, relief filling her heart when they nodded. Yes, she loved New York, but that didn’t mean she still didn’t miss her family desperately. 

“Of course! We wouldn’t miss it for the world,” her father assured.

Her mother nodded emphatically, tucking her short brown hair behind her ear. “We’re flying in on the 30th. Oh, and we’ve got a surprise for you when you pick us up!”

Jemma saw her mother’s eyes brighten but she could have sworn her father looked far less pleased. His mouth was a thin line and his eyes narrowed just a sliver. An important sliver, Jemma thought.

“I can’t wait, mum. But mostly I can’t wait to see you and show you around the city.”

At that, her father brightened. “We can’t wait for it either.” 

Jemma kissed the tips of her fingers and placed them gently on the computer screen, her father copying her movement. Age pulled the corners of his eyes down and greyed the hair around his face, but Jemma only seemed to notice it when he kissed the tips of his fingers and touched what she knew was her cheek on the screen in front of him. 

She missed her father the most of anyone back home. He was always kind and understanding and never pushed her into anything she didn’t wish to do. He had been in full support of her moving away to America for a new job and a new beginning, knowing that she needed a change. 

After her nasty breakup with Milton, turning away from playing second fiddle to Milton’s life and aspirations, her father had been the one she had run to first. He had known that no amount of wealth or motherly wishes could justify to Jemma the idea of wading through life with someone she didn’t love and who didn’t respect her. Her mother had been hoping for a different outcome between her and Milton, though she did eventually seem to accept Jemma’s decision to part from him and move away, but her father hadn’t even hesitated to hold her tight and promise her that the world was just out there waiting for her.

After waving once more to her laptop camera, Jemma clicked the big red button to end the conversation. As the call ended with a ba-bloop sound, there was a light rapping of knocks on her door before it opened, alerting her that it was Fitz.

“Hey, I thought you had something with Daisy you had to get to,” Jemma said as she came to stand with her back leaning against the kitchen counter. For some reason, Fitz hadn’t moved very far into the room, still standing in the open doorway.

His hand flew to scratch behind his ear. “I did, but--umm--there was sort of a change of plans.”

Jemma drew her brows together and moved them down her forehead, a small wrinkle forming on her nose as she cocked her head just slightly to the left.

“What happened?”

“Well, she sort of got frustrated at me and pushed me out the door to see you.” 

His eyes found hers for a moment before drifting down to meet his shoes. He had a sweet blush across his crooked cheeks, a sheepish smile having pulled up one side of his face.

“And what would she do that for?” Jemma inquired with a bright tint to her voice. For some reason her heart had begun to beat a nice fast rhythm in her chest, her stomach tightening as he bit his lip and looked up at her once more.

Jemma watched Fitz’s chest rise and fall sharply and she noticed his hand at his side wishing to find the back of his ear once more. The pause was nervous and Jemma tried her best not to let her feet fidget. Just when he opened his mouth to speak, a shiny red bauble arched through the air and hit him on the back of his head before falling to roll on the floor.

Fitz turned around sharply and threw his hands in the air. “I’m working on it Daisy! Give me a second!”

Daisy’s voice came back, quieted by the distance between the doors, “I will keep throwing ornaments at you until you just do it already!”

Another red globe flew through the air from across the hall and Fitz ducked out of the way to avoid it. Jemma giggled as he came back to face her, his curls catching the hallway light as she shook his head in good humor. 

“I was wondering,” he began, his cheeks flushing to an even brighter pink, “I was wondering if you would like to go out with me tonight.”

“Like… on a date?” Jemma asked, her feet no longer feeling like they were on the floor.

He bit his lip again and before they transformed into a handsome smile. “Yeah.”

She didn’t even hesitate to respond. “Yes. I would love that.”

* * *

For being just across the hall, Fitz made a very cute gesture of picking her up at her door.

“Ready to go?” he asked after she had shut the entrance to 301 behind her.

“Absolutely.”

They walked down the stairs in a comfortable silence, sneaking shy glances at one another as they took each winding step. With every little look she caught, Jemma’s heart race picked up. He was dressed smartly in a blue button up that made his eyes pop so it was like catching pieces of the sky. He had a nice warm looking coat on as well. Jemma’s mind wandered to wrapping herself up in his arms, his sherpa-lined jacket keeping the both of them warm. 

He held the front door open for her, making a cheesy sweeping gesture with his arm before bowing to her ridiculously to make her laugh. When they were finally both out on the street, their boots crunching in the afternoon snow, he held his arm out to make a loop for her to slide her arm through.

“Shall we go on an adventure?” Jemma asked with a laugh laced into her tone as she clung onto his surprisingly strong arm. 

He placed his hand gently upon hers, the heat of his calloused palm warming her immensely. His face looked ahead down the street and he shrugged. “Sure.”

Fitz cast a teasing grin back in her direction and she couldn’t help but laugh once more as they made their way to the corner of the block, falling into his side and laying her forehead lightly on his shoulder as the giggles shook her body.

With her arm looped in Fitz’s, Jemma barely registered the cold. They could see their breath in the air and they watched as a few pieces of snow drifted from above the tall buildings surrounding them, but for the most part Jemma felt as comfortable and warm as she would be sitting by a large warm fire. 

“So where are you taking me?” Jemma probed, poking Fitz in the shoulder once they had crossed another honking street. 

His head turned from side to side when they hit another intersection, “You said this morning you hadn’t been to Central Park yet. Figured we could start our tour there.”

“A tour, you say?”

He bent his head down to truly look into her face. “You did want an adventure.”

It didn’t take them long to find an entrance into the massive park. After taking only a few steps into the green space, or snowed over space in their case, Jemma let out a little gasp.

She could feel Fitz turn quickly to look at her, but she continued to look ahead, her mouth forming a small “o” shape as she took in the ice and snow covered landscape.

It was beautiful and just like Jemma had dreamed of. She could see the cityscape off in the distance, high rises reaching into the sky like arrows towards space. In the forefront stood massive trees with coats of snow and lashes of icicles. The sounds of the city went soft as they went further into the park, replaced by crunching snow, laughing children, and loud conversations between people on their walks. 

Jemma held tighter to Fitz’s arm, burying her cheek into his sleeve as they walked on.

“It’s lovely out today,” she said visibly into the cold air. 

Fitz let out a soft chuckle. “You said that this morning too.”

“Proves how sincerely I feel about it and how much I meant it.” That earned her another warm laugh from Fitz.

Jemma had just thought for a moment they were just going to end up wandering around the park when Fitz made a purposeful turn to cross over a bridge. She followed his steps and they continued to talk about whatever came to mind before he stopped in front of a large sheet of ice. 

“That looks like fun,” he said nonchalantly, nodding towards the ice rink. Laughing people skated past them with rosy cheeks and buoyant cheers and shouts.

“It does indeed, Fitz. It’s just--”

“Just?”

“I haven’t been skating since I was really young. I’ll probably fall on my face.”

Fitz shook his head. “Nonsense. I’d never let you fall. And if we fall, we fall together.”

Feeling her chest warm with his words, Jemma followed as they strapped on skates and made their way to the edge of the ice. Fitz got on easily, wobbling only just slightly at the new sensation of not being on packed, snow-covered earth. Jemma’s transition onto the ice was not as smooth. Her legs shook under her as she tiptoed onto the slippery surface, her noodles for limbs wishing to give way and let her fall. She raised her hands out in front of her in some attempt to balance herself but she went slipping around anyway, her skates cutting into and making messy patterns in the glassy sheet below. 

Fitz was there in a heartbeat, catching her against his chest. With the impact, Jemma felt a hot breath float from his lips and she looked shly into his face.

“See. I got you.”

With a series of screams and giggles, Jemma and Fitz made their way around the rink. There were multiple points where the two went tumbling together, faces towards the sky as they laughed and laughed and laughed. After an hour, though, Jemma was much steadier on her skates, able to confidently move forward and turn. By the time the other people, who had all gotten onto the ice at the same time as them, began to drift away, they had been skating for a good number of hours and Jemma had gained full control of her skated feet. However, she still kept her hand held tightly in Fitz’s. He was unbelievably warm and she liked how their fingers laced together in such a perfect fashion. 

“Ready,” he said on what must have been their thousandth lap around.

“Wha---aah Fitz!” Jemma dissolved into a fit of giggles as Fitz lifted their entwined hands above her head to spin her. It was the least graceful move they had done on the ice in a bit and neither remained very steady as Jemma tried to right the position of her skates and Fitz tried to help her while continuing to chuckle heartily. They ended up jumbled up together, Jemma’s arms falling around Fitz’s neck, his hands on her waist, their faces so close Jemma could see all the different hues of blue in Fitz’s eyes. 

They looked at one another with careful smiles and glimmering eyes, neither one wanting to move away from the other. They were in their little NYC snow globe; the city skyline and trees and small skating figures, the light drifting of fluffy flakes of snow. The sun was grasping onto the sides of the buildings and the branches of trees but was still dipping to meet the horizon. Warm in Fitz’s embrace, Jemma’s eyes fluttered closed and she felt his face close the small gap between them, his lips falling on hers. If his hands were warm, his lips were warmer as they slid to fit with hers. She could smell his shampoo and cologne, a manly scent with a hint of something like pine and she couldn’t help but bring her hands to cup his face and deepen the kiss. 

Fitz broke the kiss with a smile, landing another soft peck on the tip of her nose before pulling ever so slightly away from her so he could look into her eyes.

“Jemma,” he whispered, grasping her waist tightly.

“Yeah?”

“Your hands are freezing.”

Jemma felt a blush unrelated to the cold creep across her face and she quickly checked the temperature of her hands on her cheeks. 

“Oh, they’re like little ice buckets, aren’t they?”

With a signature sweet smile that Jemma was slowly coming to love beyond belief, Fitz took her hands once more in his and warmed them with his breath and lips. His heat bled into her skin and she sighed at the contact. 

“I think I’ve got an idea,” Fitz said against her curling fingers.

“Yeah?”

“Fancy a cup of New York’s best hot chocolate? I mean, it has nothing on mine but--”

“I’d love one.”

Deciding it wasn’t too cold to walk, the two of them started once more on their adventure. It took them a decent amount of time to actually get to the hole in the wall coffee shop Fitz had been looking for. They continually stopped to look at store windows or, at one point, to buy a bag of roasted, cinnamon and sugar covered almonds. They were still warm when the street vendor handed them the bag and they split it between the two of them happily. Jemma’s hands were freezing so she held gratefully onto the warm bag with one hand and Fitz with the other. With no free fingers to bring the candied treat to her mouth, Fitz did it for her. She tried not to giggle too much as he tried to put one of the almonds on her tongue. 

When they made it to the coffee shop, they ordered their hot chocolate and found a table by the window. Traffic and people slugged by and the frosted window pane turned them all into a blur. The little shop was twinkling with light and had a rich smell of roasted coffee beans and chai tea. Though there was a table between them, Fitz and Jemma continued to lean over their mugs and talk, their faces as close as they could get them. If she had her way, she would stay in that moment forever. The coffee beans, the cocoa on her tongue, and Fitz’s hand caught in hers. Happy in their little snowglobe. 

* * *

It was a few days later when Jemma awoke to her blaring alarm clock. Unsticking her cheek from Fitz’s warm bare chest, she reached her arm up to silence the bleating machine. 

“I hate that thing,” Fitz groaned, his eyes still shut tight against the snowy morning sun.

Jemma let out a giggle coated sigh and kissed his collarbone slowly, lingering on the taste of his skin. Lovingly, she moved her way up to his throat, jaw, and finally landed a soft kiss at the corner of his mouth before sitting up. She shivered as the bedcovers fell away from her and she reluctantly got to her feet. She was quickly pulled down, though, as a toned arm came to wrap around her waist and tug her back onto the mattress.

“Fitz! I have to pick up my parents from the airport,” Jemma whined, though her heart wasn’t really in it as he planted kisses along her spine to the nape of her neck. 

“Really, Fitz. I’m already cutting it close.” At least she was in Jemma time. She felt him sigh against her shoulder and he planted one last lingering kiss there before drawing her hair to the opposite side of her neck. Slowly and delicately he drew his finger across her chin so her eyes slid to his. 

“Be safe,” he whispered, his accent thick and gravelly with sleep. 

“Always. Now go back to sleep you lucky monkey.”

Fitz fell back on the bed with a laugh and Jemma caught him turn his head to watch her get ready before he drifted back into the world of dreams. 

Bundled up in her winter gear, Jemma began her journey to the airport. It was as busy as ever, the pickup line filled with the sound of drivers shouting and roller bags dragging over concrete. Jemma looked anxiously for any sight of her parents, finally catching them with their too many suitcases (the Simmons’ tended to over prepare) and happy smiles. She waved excitedly at them and got out of the car to help them with their bags. It was then that she noticed who was with them and her stomach bottomed out to her shoes. 

What in the bloody hell was Milton doing in New York City with her parents? Feeling like she was stuck in a slow moving nightmare, Jemma blinked at the figure in front of her. Luckily, her gaze was torn away by her father approaching and wrapping her in a hug that smelled like home. 

“Hey my butterfly,” her father said warmly, his accent bringing Sheffield to her with three little words. 

“Hi, dad. I missed you.” Allowing herself to be little for a moment, Jemma tucked her face into her father’s embrace and wrapped her arms tightly around him. Maybe if she stayed there for a long while with her eyes shut tight Milton would disappear.

Unfortunately, her father let go and stepped aside to get the many pieces of luggage in the car, allowing her mother to swoop in for her own hug.

“Oh my darling! Look at you! My baby girl, you’re a city woman now,” her mother chirped, holding Jemma’s face in her hands and looking her over. It was then that she called attention to the thing Jemma had been avoiding. 

“And look, Jemma! It’s Milton! Surprise!” Her mother’s voice was cheerful but from Jemma’s perspective it just felt like a really horrible comedy act. “He has a meeting here in the city and I told him he should just save the money on the hotel room and tag along with us!”

She looked quickly between her mother and Milton before seeking comfort in her father’s face. He gave her a subtle eye roll and an apologetic look before heaving another bag into the car. 

Turning back to Milton, Jemma gave him a curt nod. “Hello, Milton. How have you been?”

Milton straightened his broad shoulders and crossed his arms. “I’ve been alright. It’s nice to see you, Jembug.”

Jemma tried her absolute hardest not to turn her nose up at the nickname. The last time she had heard it had not been during a pleasant conversation, the name thrown at her retreating figure in his condescending whimper. Instead of replying or letting her face move into a grimace, Jemma forced a smile and rounded the car to get in the driver's seat.

It was a long drive back to Jemma’s apartment, the entire time filled with her mother informing her of all that had happened back at home. Which family friends had moved to the suburbs of wherever, whose grandkids were getting married, all the babies Jemmas’s former schoolmates were having and the spouses they were having them with. Jemma couldn’t help but notice the trend her mother was following and that there wasn’t a single negative thing mentioned during the entire journey, just marriage, babies, and cute little homes in the suburbs. Something about it left an uneasy feeling in Jemma’s chest as it was very uncharacteristic of her mother not to mention at least one piece of neighborhood gossip, especially post-Christmas where there was plenty of alcohol and holiday-stress induced shenanigans. 

Milton, for his part, was silent throughout the drive. He kept looking at Jemma in the rearview mirror or stared out the window like he was lost in thought. The whole ride felt off and Jemma wished that it was just her and her parents as she felt like her mother wouldn’t be focused so much on home if Milton wasn’t there. It was like she was trying to add him into the loop, or perhaps remind Jemma of home with the stories and his presence. Whatever her mother’s motives, Jemma wished the car ride had been much much shorter. 

They arrived at Jemma’s apartment at around noon and it was as they were walking up the stairs that Jemma remembered Fitz had a tendency to sleep in. Trying to look like she wasn’t rushing ahead to check to see if her boyfriend was naked in her bed or like she was acting suspicious, Jemma opened the door as loudly as she could and peeked into her place before anyone else had stepped over the threshold. 

The place was spotless. Fitz, who wasn’t the biggest fan of cleaning, had obviously overcome his distaste for the task to help her out in anyway he could. Her daybed was made neatly with fluffed pillows and the small stuffed monkey she had accidently taken from him that he had let her keep. He’d even picked up a vase of winter white roses with pine cones and holly berries, the arrangement she had admired at the little bodega down the block. The room smelled like clean linen and lavender and he’d washed the few dishes that had been left in the sink from their dinner the previous evening. Jemma smiled to herself as she let her parents and Milton past her.

“Oh, Jemma, it’s lovely. With the decor you’ve turned what could have been a small shabby place into something very nice,” her mother bubbled, dropping her bags on the floor. 

“Thanks, mum,” Jemma drew out, trying not to say anything about her mother’s tone. “So, shall we unpack and make your bed? I bet it would work if we can set up the air mattress next to the television.” 

“That should work splendidly,” her father said merrily. 

Milton was the only one who looked skeptical.

“Where will I sleep?” he muttered, looking about the small apartment.

Once again, Jemma trained her face into a tight smile. “I’m so sorry. I wasn’t planning on three people. Your presence is sort of a surprise.”

“Well, we’re all bright individuals,” Jemma’s mother cut in, sensing the tension for the first time that day, “We’ll figure it out, won’t we!”

After they had finished unpacking, Jemma was becoming more upset by Milton’s presence and was continually reminded of why she had ended things with him. Though he agreed with every word out of her mouth, he was incredibly unhelpful. There was no initiative with any of his actions and he often waited to be told what to do and provided no insight into how to best go about doing whatever it was. When they were deciding where to go to eat he agreed on every option that was offered only to complain about the food when they arrived at the restaurant, a rather nice Italian place Jemma had gone to her second night in the city.

“Not very authentic,” he said into his plate of pasta, his nose upturned at the noodles.

“How do you mean, Milton?” Jemma’s mother asked after a sip of her wine.

Jemma shared a tired look with her father over the rim of her wine glass before taking a large gulp of her own drink and turning her attention back to Milton’s response.

“Well, in the restaurant I went to in Italy they handmade their pasta. This feels boxed, don’t you think.”

Not wishing to discuss the authenticity of a plate of pasta, pasta she rather liked, Jemma switched the topic to one in a similar vein. 

“Milton, when were you in Italy,” she asked, hoping her polite question would cover her reactions to him so far that day and help her avoid getting an earful about manners from her mother.

“A few months ago for work; went on a fancy private jet and everything. They treat you quite well when they need your help and advice.” He continued on for a bit about all the places he had gone to. In the meantime, Jemma was stuck trying to picture Milton having enough of an original thought to be able to give advice. She broke out of her reverie only when he spoke her name.

“You know, Jemma, I travel quite a lot to meet with business partners. You could always tag along sometime. I wouldn’t mind the company a bit and it is quite the _adventure_.”

It felt like a boa constrictor was working its way around her middle and up towards her neck at what he had said, his eyes finding hers as he lifted his fork full of pasta to his mouth. There was something in the way he stressed the word _adventure_ that had Jemma’s vision tunneling as her mind tried to piece together the events of the day. 

“That’s quite alright,” Jemma stated, her eyes boring into Milton’s as she tried to hold back a very impolite sneer. “I enjoy sight seeing when I travel; I would hate to end up just sitting in a hotel room. Besides, as I recall, you weren’t the biggest fan of museums and they are a favorite destination spot of mine.”

Milton’s whole face looked like it was trying to reach his ears as the muscles under his skin tightened with her comment. The boa constrictor that had been trying to choke her loosened a bit at his expression. 

Before Jemma and Milton started to throw things and such, Jemma’s father stepped in. “So, Jemma,” he began, clinking his fork loudly onto his plate to break the tension, “how was your first Christmas in the Big Apple? I hear the lights are just incredible.”

Taking a deep breath, Jemma gave her father a genuine smile. “Oh, it was lovely. I watched Doctor Who specials and had biscuits and hot chocolate with Fitz.” 

“Whose Fitz?” Milton broke in, his brow furrowing more than Jemma thought was necessary for the question.

Lifting her chin and swallowing another bite of her pasta, Jemma responded proudly, “He’s my boyfriend.”

Milton visibly stiffened.

“What?” her mother said a tad too loudly for the quiet restaurant, “When did that happen dear?”

“A few days ago but it’s been a long time coming, I think. I was silly and assumed he was dating his roommate, Daisy, but he wasn’t. We had actually been interested in one another and simply had to let the other know.”

Jemma smiled without hindrance, letting herself feel what she wanted for the first time since she had left her apartment that morning for the airport.

“Well that’s just wonderful, butterfly,” her father said, holding her hand where it sat on the table. “But I will have to meet the man and give him a good Mr. Simmons talking to.”

Jemma rolled her eyes and playfully swatted her father’s arm. 

Milton didn’t talk much for the rest of the dinner as Jemma began to discuss all the things she had wanted to tell her parents. She talked more about her job in the city, updating them on the few ideas she had improved and expanded upon. She discussed her new favorite drink at the coffee shop she had told them about before and the corner deli she had found that she liked to go to on her lunch break. She talked about Daisy and Doc and the story of the mouse and Mr. Coulson. She talked about Fitz, more about what he was like, their first date, what he did for a living. Jemma was happy to see her mother’s face melt into the familiar look of pride and happiness, something she hadn’t seen while her mother talked about home and Milton. 

Throughout the night, she could sense how her mother had been pushing her towards coming home. Her mum had never been good at subtly, a trait she had passed to her daughter, and that night had been no exception. However, Jemma knew her mother just wanted her to be healthy and happy so she tried not to act on her frustration, especially in a public setting. 

However, even by the end of dinner, she still wasn’t sure what Milton’s goal for visiting was. That is, until they had finished their meal and made it back to the apartment building. As Jemma’s parents walked up the long flight of stairs back to her place, Milton caught her by the elbow and held her back.

“Yes?” she asked, peering down at him from one step off the bottom landing.

He looked at her with a purpose, his eyes trying to look deeply into hers but failing. “There’s something I wanted to discuss with you.”

Jemma nodded her head with a tiny shake as an indication for him to say whatever he wanted to say. 

“I’m still in love with you.”

If it had been a cartoon Jemma was positive that would have been the part where an anvil or a piano fell onto her head.

“What?”

“Jembug, we belong together. I know it in my gut, I feel it in my bones. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you and I know we would make the best couple out there. Come with me, leave this dirty city, and I can give you the adventure you deserve. I know it in my soul--”

As he tried to come closer to her stair, Jemma held up her hand, both to silence him and push him slightly away.

“I’m so sorry, Milton, but do you think you’re being romantic right now?” Milton’s face radiated confusion and Jemma felt like she wanted to scream. “You come to New York to whisk me away from my dream job, my new, _self-chosen,_ life to play a role in yours I purposefully left you to avoid, and you think you’re being… romantic? Charming? Chivalrous? What?”

To her surprise, he actually nodded. “Jemma, this life isn’t for you. You said when we broke up you wanted an adventure. Did you not hear what I was saying at dinner? Have I not proven I can give you that?”

“I want to choose my own adventure, Milton!” Jemma nearly shouted back, her hands gesticulating out in front of her, “I don’t want to be dragged along on one someone thinks I want or someone else’s all together! And I’ve found it here, in New York.”

Her eyes softened and she dropped her shoulders as her face relaxed, “I’m happy Milton. I’ve found my adventure, I’ve found my dream job, and I’m sorry but I’m not going to just give it all up.”

He leaned forward, his back bent and his hand on the railing as he molded his face into one of searching sympathy. “Not even for love?”

No longer holding back the emotions she felt, Jemma closed her eyes briefly and sighed before staring him in the eye. “If you really loved me, Milton, you would have wished me to live my own dreams and not force me into yours.”

Jemma turned on the steps and made her way up their winding track, not even wishing to look back. She quickly popped her head into her apartment to let her parents know she would be staying at Fitz’s so they could have her bed and Milton could have the air mattress if he decided to continue to stay there for the night. She then took the five steps over to 302 and knocked gently on the door before opening it.

“Jemma! Hey!” Fitz exclaimed with delight when he saw her enter the apartment, launching himself off the couch to greet her. He appeared to be alone and watching something on the BBC and Jemma smiled when she noticed it was the documentary she had recommended. 

“Hey, I missed you,” she said as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

“I missed you too,” he muttered back into the crook between her neck and shoulder. His hands were warm on her waist and she relaxed into him.

After holding each other for a few moments, Fitz pulled back and swiped his thumb over her temple. “You okay?”

“Yes and no. It’s been a day.”

“Want to talk about it?”

She nodded with gusto and he replaced his thumb with his lips before going to the television to pause the documentary he had been watching.

They sat side by side on the couch, Jemma curling her legs underneath her so she could face him fully. He was looking at her patiently, his blue eyes soft as they lovingly took in her expression.

Jemma gripped his hand in hers, lovingly tracing her finger along the lines of his palm and up his wrist, just under the cuff of his sweater. “Before I regale you with the highlights of my day, can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“What if I told you that my parents had let me know about a really amazing opportunity back in England, one that brought me closer to them and that offered something I had been searching for? What would you say?”

Fitz’s face fell and she could feel his heartbeat quicken underneath her fingertips but he simply looked down at their entwined hands.

“Is this hypothetical?” he asked after a beat. Jemma stayed quiet, not wishing to ruin her experimental question with the answer. Instead her eyes fell to the spot his were focused on.

“Well,” he began, taking a breath, “Would you be happy wherever you were going in England?”

She nodded, her brown hair falling in front of her face. He gently lifted her chin so he could look into her eyes, blue meeting brown.

“Then I would tell you to go. I mean, I would miss you like crazy but knowing you were happy would make it worth it.”

His face was freckled with sadness and Jemma knew he didn’t want to let go of her hand in that moment, but she could also tell he meant every word he had said. Looking into his eyes, Jemma got the very strong urge to kiss him. Acting upon instinct, she leaned across the cushioned gap between them and kissed him with as much care as she could. He followed her lead and kissed her back, tilting his head to the side to allow for a better angle. 

Just as she was about to deepen the kiss he pulled away, a wrinkle forming between his brows.

“Jemma, what did you mean by that question? Are you leaving or--”

“No, Fitz,” she said with conviction, “I’m not leaving.”

“Really! I mean--okay, that’s good.”

The little grin that Fitz gave her lit a fire in her heart and she felt the warmest she had all winter. “Why in the world would I leave,” she said, turning to lean her back against his chest and tilting her chin to look in his eyes. “When I’m so happy where I am.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading and happy holidays!! 💕


End file.
